New World, New Life: I Became A Bigshot In The Ancient World
Chapter 111: HAD ONLY BEEN A MATTER OF TIME

Chapter 111: HAD ONLY BEEN A MATTER OF TIME

"I mean... I didn’t mean to— I..." Rowan was clearly at a loss for words. He shut his mouth, deciding to keep silent.

Aristia didn’t think she imagined it, but she thought Adeline’s face became colder the moment Rowan opened his mouth.

Wilson and Catherine looked unconcerned about the weird drama playing out between the siblings, even though Aristia could swear they knew whatever was going on.

"You can stay the night, Rowan." Wilson’s voice cut through the tension in the air.

Rowan looked at Wilson, then looked at Adeline guiltily, before nodding.

"Thank you for your benevolent offer, your Imperial Highness." He rubbed his head, glancing at Adeline who wasn’t even looking at him. His gaze remained guilty and apologetic.

[Hmm...]

"You can’t return now. It’s late," Adeline said.

Minutes later, the family retired to their rooms and so did the others.

***

Time seemed to pass quickly and soon, the month of November had ended, welcoming the cold month. It was now the month of winter.

In this cold month when the air had turned chilly, the trees had lost their leaves and the ground had been coated white by the snow, a little girl lay snuggled in a mansion.

She had buried her body under the covers while wrapped in another bedsheet even though the crackling fireplace providing warmth made the room less cold. She felt very comfortable lying there until the blanket was pulled away from her.

"Good morning, princess." Adeline greeted. She walked to the window and put her hands on the curtains, ready to open them.

"No! Don’t open the windows. Just open the curtains." Aristia’s voice stopped her, pulling the bedsheet back over her head. She didn’t feel like getting up.

Adeline opened the curtains and walked back to her.

The bedsheet was pulled away from her again.

Aristia groaned. She turned multiple times. [Nooo! I’ve lost that comfortable position.] She tried different positions but none of it felt the same again.

"Ugh!" She gave up and lay sprawled, looking up at the ceiling.

"You have to get up, Princess." Adeline said.

"No. I’m a wealthy businesswoman now. I don’t need to go to classes. I have money so—"

"Ahem."

A voice sounded from the doorway.

Aristia’s eyes snapped in the direction to see her mother standing with her arms crossed and a stern expression adorning her beautiful face.

"Hehe," she chuckled nervously, sitting up immediately. "Hello, Mama. How are you today? How is your family? I was just about to..." She trailed off from her string of nonsense words when Catherine continued to stare at her, this time with eyebrows raised in half amusement and half seriousness.

Aristia sighed and unwrapped herself from the blanket. "I will go and prepare for my class."

Catherine nodded and left, smiling at her silly daughter. Somehow, she felt like their relationship had changed ever since the night of the restaurant’s opening a month ago, at the small celebratory they had in the mansion. It had improved; become closer.

Whatever it was, she welcomed the change.

Aristia got ready for her classes. She first headed to the training with the captain, but when she got there, the Captain hadn’t arrived.

She and Alaric had only been waiting for a few minutes when she noticed Wilson approach.

"Papa, the Captain hasn’t arrived." She stated the obvious.

"I just received word from Hugh that he will not be able to conduct your training today because of some issues. The class has been cancelled. You will continue the training tomorrow." He said, rubbing her head comfortingly.

Aristia nodded. She wondered what happened.

She turned to Alaric. "Let’s return inside, Al. We’re not training with the Captain today."

"Okay." Alaric nodded.

Aristia returned to the mansion to get changed, but when Adeline came to help her change her clothes, she stopped her.

"Wait. I’ve changed my mind." She didn’t feel like changing her clothes again. "I’ll have breakfast in my training clothes."

Adeline only nodded. "But we have to take a bath."

"It’s too early for a bath in a weather so cold. I’ll take a bath later."

It was still early in the morning and the air was chilly. She’d take a hot bath later.

With that, she laid back on her bed still in her cute training clothes, pulling the covers back over her to just below her chin.

"Mm." She closed her eyes. The warmth was very comfortable.

She snapped open one eye and glanced at Adeline.

"Wake me up for dinner, please. Goodnight."

Adeline nodded.

"Good...night, princess." She thought for a moment and walked to the window. She pulled the curtains close and then left the room, closing the door softly behind her.

A minute later, the door opened before Aristia could fall asleep.

She opened her eyes and saw Alaric looking into the room.

On seeing Aristia awake on the bed, he entered and closed the door behind him.

Rushing to the bed, he said while getting under the covers,

"I saw Adeline leaving without you. You haven’t taken a bath? You’re going to sleep again?"

Aristia glanced at him and mumbled an answer. "It’s too cold. I don’t want to take a bath yet."

The room itself wasn’t cold, but Aristia preferred to lie down now that she had the chance.

***

"Princess Aristia, wake up." Aristia felt someone shaking her.

"Mm?" She mumbled, her eyes too heavy to open.

Sleep had caught her in its clutches and held her tightly, even though she had just woken up earlier.

She heard bits and pieces of the voice and words, but it barely registered in her mind.

"... time... breakfast. You have... wake up. Princess Aristia."

She was shaken gently, but Aristia did not like the disturbance.

"Ughhh..." She groaned, turning to the other side and pulling the blanket around her, causing the blanket covering the person beside her to move slantedly, no longer covering their full form.

Alaric was already awake and staring at her with his mouth in a line, watching how his sister refused to wake up and even pulled the blanket away from him.

At another shake, Aristia finally woke up. The face of the person waking her up was seen clearly.

"Linny?"

She yawned and rubbed her eyes. The haze of sleep cleared from her mind. "What is it?"

"It’s time for breakfast."

Aristia turned to look out of the window.

[Oh!]

It was bright outside— not very bright, but brighter than when she woke up. She guessed it should be around seven o’clock by now.

She yawned again. "Okay."

Turning to the person beside her, she said.

"Let’s go. Why weren’t you using the blanket?" Alaric wasn’t under the covers anymore.

"You took away my blanket." Alaric said plainly.

Aristia’s brows knitted in confusion. "I took away your..." She trailed off, looking down at herself. The part of the blanket Alaric was using was on her side. It indeed had been pulled away from him by her.

"Um, sorry." Her cheeks tainted pink in embarrassment. She cleared her throat. "Let’s go."

Immediately, she got out from under the covers and down the bed. "Mama and Papa are probably waiting."

Alaric nodded and came down too, going to hold her hand. Aristia didn’t refuse.

Together, she headed to the dining room with her baby brother in tow.

"Good morning, Mama. Good morning, Papa." The siblings greeted.

"Good morning, Tia, Allie." The couple conversing in the dining table replied.

Aristia and Alaric took their seats.

For breakfast, they were having fried bread and butter with fried eggs, bacon and sausage, a bowl of fruits, and a jug of milk.

Thanks to Aristia’s influence, they had caught down on the banquet sized meals the servants usually prepared when she first got here, and now they usually had moderate sized meals.

"Are you putting on your training clothes for your classes?" Catherine asked.

Aristia answered while spreading butter on her bread. "I don’t feel like changing out of them, but only for my class with Viscountess Vasily."

Catherine nodded thoughtfully.

"Mama, did you remember to tell Madam Grace to make you the clothes with the design I drew?" Aristia asked.

She had drawn up stylish clothes for Catherine and herself; shirts, blouses, trousers. Catherine should have shown the designs to Madam Grace by now.

"Of course, I did." Catherine replied proudly. "In two weeks, she should have all of them ready. She was full of praises for your talent."

Madam Grace had been confused as to why she had been asked to make male clothes for the Grand Duchess and the third princess, and she had also been a bit unwilling and disapproving, but then she turned shocked when she looked closer and found out how stylish the designs looked. Coupled with the fact that it looked like something that would fit a woman perfectly, and not a man.

She didn’t need to ask to know who had designed the clothes, and she was both amazed and impressed. Her admiration for Aristia increased vastly.

Aristia smiled. Finally, she could dress casually instead of putting on dresses all the time except for her training with the captain.

[I can’t wait to try out the clothes. Though, it will only be within the confines of the mansion. For now.]

It had only been a matter of time.

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